Georgian National Pavilion at PQ15

18-29.06.2015
Woman’s Voice – Georgian National Pavilion at PQ15
/ Georgian scenography at the Prague International Quadrennial/
Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia.
On June 18- 29, 2015 at PQ15 Georgia came out in the main Countries and Regions Section with the national pavilion “Woman’s Voice”.
The subject was selected based on the analysis within the framework of “Reality and Dream” /2013-2014/. The survey has revealed that in the last decade, the share of women in Georgian scenography has radically increased. The quantitative advantage of women has somehow generated new processes in this sphere and we believed it should be demonstrated at the international scenography forum. In addition, Robert Sturua’s performance “The Daughters” also inspired the final decision. This performance confirmed the curator’s thesis that the gender theme exceeded the sociopolitical sphere and became a metaphorical means of expression of the aesthetic problems of the Georgian reality.
The exhibition “Woman’s Voice” is based on an explicit gender process generated in the modern Georgian scenography and responds to the gender challenges emerged in the Georgian society, a clear manifestation of which is declaration by the President of Georgia of the year 2015 as the Women’s Year (the year 2015 is also the twentieth anniversary of the UN Beijing Declaration “On Elimination of Violation against Women”).
The curatorial solution “Woman’s Voice” of the exposition focused on modern technologies.
Out of three topics of PQ15: music, politics, natural environment, the National Pavilion of Georgia based on two – politics and music.
The aims of the project “Woman’s Voice”:
• Development and popularization of contemporary Georgian art and its integral part – the theater art and scenography, its integration in the cultural space
• Demonstration of the Georgian stage design trends in the context of the joint exhibition of 2011-2015 performances in the Countries and Regions Section of the female artists of different generations on the example of Prague Quadrennial 2015.
The objectives of the project “Woman’s Voice”:
• To reveal the gender process in the Georgian scenography, as one of the manifestations of the cultural and creative reflection of the political reality;
• To demonstrate the significant changes in the 2010s Georgian theater art and scenography aesthetics through the visual medium of the video art;
• To set and develop international cultural contacts during the exposition of the Georgian theater set in Prague.
A number of supporting events were implemented within the project in Prague:
1. A small presentation-cocktail at the pavilion – 21.06.2015 17:00 –CLAM-GALLAS PALACE
2. The lecture-presentation about the of the prominent figure of the Georgian theater, Peter Otskheli – 25.06.2015 16:00 – Embassy of Georgia in Prague
The event was promoted and organized by the Embassy of Georgia in the Czech Republic as a part of the Georgian culture popularization program. It took place in the space of the Embassy of Georgia in the Czech Republic. The presentation was focused on the Georgian Community in the Czech Republic, as well as on the PQ audience.

Production Team:
Nino Gunia-Kuznetsova, curator, author of theme
Tamar Bokuchava, author of concept, co-curator
Manana Gunia, exhibition designer & graphic designer
Meri Matsaberidze, PR manager,
Marianna Oakley, author of the catalogue text
Avtandil Dolaberidze, IT & technical manager
Tatia Skhirtladze, author of video art “ Woman’s Voice”
Marianna Charkviani, sound designer of video art “Woman’s Voice”
Merab Merabishvili, modeling & sculpture
Levan Kvaratskhelia, modeling, sculpture, video editing
Malkhaz Barbakadze, director, visual effects, video editing
Tamar Karumidze, director
Nestan Sinjikashvili, video editing
Dimitry Lobjanidze, video editing
Irakli Khutsishvili, designer
Nino Burduli, layout
TElETON Studio L.T.D, post production
Participants:

Tatia Skhirtladze (Video artist)
– Video Art “Woman’s Voice “, 2015.
Georgian National Pavilion at PQ15 (Prague).

Nino Chubinishvili (Artist, Designer)
– Silent talk… 2013.
Director of video performance Tamar Karumidze
Writers House (Tbilisi).
Photo by Anna Nijaradze

Nino Chitaishvili (Set and Costume Designer)
-T. Jejenoghlu: Avalanche, 2012.
Director Rusudan Bolkvadze.
Tumanishvili Film Artists Theatre (Tbilisi)
Photo by Demiko Loladze

Manana Gunia (Set and Costume Designer)
– G. Rossini: The Silken Ladder , 2012.
Director Alla Simonishbili.
Tbilisi State Conservatoire (Tbilisi)
Director & visual effects of Video performance Malkhaz Barbaqadze
Photo by Guram Tsibakhashvili

Anna Kalatozishvili (Set and Costume Designer)
– R. Akutagawa : Magic , 2012.
Director Giorgi Tavadze.
Akhmeteli Theatre (Tbilisi)
Photo by Zviad Mebagishvili

Nino Kitia (Set and Costume Designer)
– S. Kane: 4.48 Psychosis, 2012.
Director Maka Natsvlishvili.
Music and Drama State Theatre (Tbilisi)
Photo by Maka Kukulava

Nutsa Khidasheli (Costume Designer)
-U.Hajibeyli: Leyli & Mejnun, 2015.
Director & Scenographer Tarlan Gorchu,
Sculptor puppets Bachana Khalvashi.
Marionette Theatre of the ICHERISHEHER Administration (Baku).
Photo by Tarlan Gorchu

Teo Kuhkianidze (Set and Costume Designer)
-W. Shakespeare: Macbeth, 2014.
Director Vano Khutsishvili
Meskhishvili State Drama Theatre (Kutaisi)
Photo by Sulkhan Gogolashvili

Anano Mosidze (Costume Designer)
– W. Shakespeare : A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2012.
Director & Scenographer David Doiashvili.
Music and Drama State Theatre (Tbilisi)
Photo by Daro Sulakauri

Anna Ninua (Set and Costume Designer)
– P. Kakabadze: Asulni (Ascended), 2014.
Director Robert Sturua.
Shota Rustaveli State Drama Theatre (Tbilisi)
Photo by Tina Kazakhishvili

Tamara Okhikyan (Set and Costume Designer)
-W. Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, 2012.
Director David Mgebrishvili
Music and Drama State Theatre (Tbilisi)
Photo by David Chachanidze
-W. Shakespeare: „Hamlet“, 2014.
Director David Mgebrishvili
V. Gunia Poti State Theatre (Poti)
Photo by Tamara Okhikyan

Ekaterine Sologashvili (Costume Designer)
– H.von Kleist: Prinz Friedrich von Homburg , 2012.
Director Giorgi Gorgoshidze, stage designer Nino Tatarashvili.
Shota Rustaveli State Drama Theatre (Tbilisi)
Photo by Tina Kazakhishvili

Nino Surguladze (Costume Designer)
– W. Shakespeare: As You Like It , 2012.
Director & Scenographer Levan Tsuladze.
Marjanishvili State Academic Drama Theatre (Tbilisi)
Photo by John Haynes

13th International Competitive Exhibition of Scenography and Theatre Architecture
Prague Quadrennial 2015

Woman’s Voice
Curator’s Introduction
Nino Gunia-Kuznetsova – Curator, Author of the Theme
Georgia’s participation in the Prague Quadrennial 2015 is particularly large-scale. Despite the fact that starting from the 1920s scenography has become a leading area of visual arts in our country, Georgia as an independent state has been participating in the Prague Quadrennial only since 2007. Thus, it is only the second time that it is represented in the section of countries and regions in 2015.

Our goal is to demonstrate the panorama of Georgian theater art in PQ15 through the prism of women’s scenography. In Prague, we will show a “mosaic panel” of videos from various performances of theaters of the capital and the regions, presenting the polyphony of women scenographers.

The theme of “Woman’s Voice” has both cultural and political significance. It is organically linked to the present-day Georgia. Theatre is a stage for not only artistic and metaphorical but also real interactions and, sometimes, clashes of art and politics.

Georgia’s complex geopolitical environment and turbulent social atmosphere give its theatrical art a particular ability of being sensitive and reflective. This is manifested in the difficult process of re-evaluation and quests in the Georgian theater. Some of the artists of the new generation, who are the product of the new formation, have assumed a socially critical position; gender reflections have become important in their search for new identity. The sense of purpose, enthusiastic self-assertion gain strength in this group of artists. This passion transforms their creative energy into the notable cultural product that is different from that of the “fathers’ generation”. This product is characterized by the eclecticism of themes, professional signature and vision.

Theater accepted the challenge and translated this social demand into its own conditional language. Today, gender balance in Georgian scenography is clearly tipped in favor of women, giving new qualities to this exceptionally important sphere.

The source of inspiration for “Woman’s Voice” was director Robert Sturua’s show staged at the Shota Rustaveli State Theater based on the symbolist play “Asulni” (“Ascended”) by Georgian classical playwright Polikarpe Kakabadze.

The problems of permanent expectations, hope, frustration and confinement syndrome voiced in the early 20th century fiction is important for us.

The conceptual part of the exhibition is presented by the “Woman’s Voice” video piece (video art by Tatia Skhirtladze); based on various aesthetic images and modern media tools, it creates a unified character-based expression of the exposition idea.

This is a “voice” of transitional times, quests and desire for revival….

The Georgian National Pavilion invites you to the Georgian world of theatre so that you can partake in the search for our cultural identity!
http://dspace.nplg.gov.ge/bitstream/1234/103453/1/Womens_Voice.pdf
http://www.culture.gov.ge/topicdetals-1.14277.html
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.836854699696139.1073742943.186944358020513&type=3
http://lashachkhartishvili.blogspot.com/2015/07/blog-post_9.html
https://www.facebook.com/meri.matsaberidze/posts/10204420043202764
http://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/content/georgian-in-prague/27081866.html
http://www.tavisupleba.mobi/a/27095613.html
http://www.radiotavisupleba.ge/audio/27095599.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_UgQOnZIoE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kULqaZDRz0